Thousands of children send wishes for those in India, Peru and Kenya

Pupils from more than 1,300 schools across Germany responded to Deutsche Post's request to send in letters and pictures of their wishes for children in India, Peru and Kenya. The Group supports UNICEF's long-term healthcare improvement projects in these three key countries.

In November, when sending their annual advent calendars - in particular those to primary schools - the company took the opportunity to raise the children's awareness of the situation in developing countries.

Teachers were asked to talk to their classes about the situation, and the problems faced by children of the same age in these countries. Pupils were able to write down and illustrate their wishes for these children, which were then sent to Deutsche Post. Hundreds of pictures and hand-crafted creations were sent in as a result.

High level of awareness

The wishes ranged from water, food and clothing to the prevention of child labour, or simply a merry Christmas. This shows just how much many of the classes learned about the subject, and how aware they are of the plight of children in poorer parts of the world. The donations that Deutsche Post pledged in exchange for children sending in their wishes are a part of their long-term support of UNICEF.

Deutsche Post supports UNICEF in India, Peru and Kenya through designated monetary donations, fundraising campaigns and an employee volunteer program. In Kenya, Deutsche Post has also shown its support for UNICEF by making donations in kind, for example by distributing over 3.5 million mosquito nets to protect against malaria.